1932 Ford Roaster Part 1 - We're Building a Deuce!

1/20Thom Taylor put our vision to paper prior to the start of the project, securing the overall stance and selection of body and suspension components. Wait until you see the House of Kolor Kandy Tangerine!

We're gonna roast meats and get skin cancer. We're gonna be simple, be fast, drive it everywhere laughing like fools, and we're going to look too good doing it. It's the core character of a hot rod applied to what many consider the only true hot rod: a '32 Ford roadster. Meet the HOT ROD Roaster.

2/20TCI's boxed framerails are built from four separate sheets of steel welded together. It's a more rigid construction than boxing a C-shaped stamped rail, but the trade-off is the loss of the rail's old-timey rounded edges. The traditional Deuce reveal line on the outer rail is stamped into the metal before welding, and that outer rail is of better quality than the other three sheets--it's not as porous, since it will show.

There'll be nothing technically revolutionary about it except perhaps the revelation that a guy well south of retirement can enjoy a street rod, and that there never has to be a trailer under it, a lawn chair in the trunk, or a crybaby doll within a hundred yards. We'll get lots of letters enlightening us that it ain't real 'cause it won't be steel, but face it: gennie Henry doesn't come around much any more. Fact is, there won't be a single chunk of real Ford hangin' off this thing. Even the Currie 9-inch rearend is a repop. And as odious as a mail-order rod may seem to the purists, we'll keep it bona fide with nary a shred of electronics, a manual trans, a Rat motor just because it's not a small-block Chevy, a traditional vibe (with gross avoidance of "era-correct"), and the proper attitude throughout.

Despite the availability of every whatsit and widget to build a brand-new reproduction '32 Ford, they still aren't kit cars. There are many choices along the way, and we'll explain our decisions over the next several months as we build the chassis, body, interior, and drivetrain.

3/20The finished rails are placed into a jig to hold them in place while the crossmembers are welded in. After lots of measuring and remeasuring, the 'members are just tack-welded until all the beams are in place and the builders are satisfied with their locations. Then the crossmembers receive final welds.

It all began at Total Cost Involved Engineering (TCI), probably the largest maker of custom street-rod frames and components. TCI has been in the chassis-building business for more than 25 years, and the craftsmen there can make anything from stock-looking Model A rails to a Pro Street fat-fender frame.

Because TCI builds frames to order, it can accommodate any number of engine/tranny combinations and suspension systems. In our case, the choice of drivetrain had a significant impact on the frame's construction, but TCI had the mock-up parts on the shelf and the knowledge from prior projects to steer us the right way. All we knew was that we wanted an I-beam front axle, hairpins instead of a four-link up front, a Hanlon Motorsports Tremec five-speed, and a big-block Chevy. TCI advised us to order our Deuce Customs USA body with a 1-inch firewall setback to clear the engine, and recommended a drag-race four-link as opposed to a wimpier standard street-rod four-link to harness the power. There's more, but rather than tell you about it, let's show you.

Things to Consider

There are so many components to consider when planning a frame buildup that TCI has developed a "chassis checklist"--a series of questions customers answer so TCI can build to suit. When you call TCI to place an order, the sales person will ask you about:

Body Style: Is it a coupe or a roadster, and more important, will it be fendered or fenderless?

Model Year: TCI offers chassis for '28 through '50s models

Body Manufacturer: Some aftermarket bodies have slightly different mounting patterns than OE Ford

Body Type: Is it steel or fiberglass?

Body Floor: Some have dropped floors that affect the fit to the frame

Engine/Transmission/Rearend: TCI can advise you about the compatibility of the frame and body with the drivetrain you plan to run. The company will also make sure the suspension is up to the task you have in mind, from daily driving to drag racing.

Front Suspension Type: You can get basic or dressy TCI I-beams with a choice of finishes and four-bars or hairpins, or you can order IFS

Rear Suspension Type: While TCI can do a traditional transverse leaf, the company prefers coilovers (with various types of four-links) or IRS

Dress Package: Do you want the suspension parts chromed, stainless, or painted?

Rear Antiroll Bar: Helps both handling and dragstrip launches

High-Tech Rear Disc Brakes: Usually from Wilwood

Brake Lines: Stainless or conventional?

Air Springs: You can bag it in the front, rear, or both, and can also choose electronic ride control